14 Best Tourist Attractions Destination in Australia - Australia Travel Guide
Australia's island continent is a unique
destination, with modern coastal towns and a vast untamed center where time
appears to have stood still in many places. Australia's East Coast is where
most tourists are located and where many of the great attractions of the
countries are located. The rugged outback, the wild South Coast landscape, and
the city of Perth on the lesser visited West Coast extend beyond this.
Although not the capital, Sydney is one of the main
tourist attractions in Australia. This beautiful ocean front city is Australia's
typical postcard image most people have. With such famous sights as the Sydney
Opera House and the Harbor Bridge, this is where many visitors start their
Australian journeys. Inviting beaches are also offered by suburbs such as Bondi
and Manly and are fun seaside communities.
The city of Melbourne is further south along the
coast, another vibrant city with plenty to see and do. Sightseeing options
around Melbourne include the famous Melbourne Cricket Grounds, the beautiful
Royal Botanical Gardens, the Remembrance Shrine, and Victoria's National
Gallery. Shoppers will want to stop at the Melbourne Central Shopping Center,
the Queen Victoria Market, or the Royal Arcade, where they will not only find
everything from the latest fashions to souvenirs, but also enjoy some of the
beautiful architecture of the city.
Other places of interest along Australia's famous
East Coast are the city of Brisbane, Surfer's Paradise beaches, the Great
Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, and many exceptional small towns. The Australian
capital, Canberra's small town, lies from the coast inland. It holds many
museums, galleries, and institutions across the country. While there are many
worthy attractions here, the unique architecture, especially that of the New
Parliament Building, often captivates tourists most.
There are many other worthwhile places to visit
beyond the well-traveled eastern part of the country. The remote outback, with
the famous Ayers Rock and Alice Springs City, is a bit more difficult to reach
but certainly worth the trip. The city of Adelaide and the famous Great Ocean
Road are located to the south. Darwin and the impressive National Park of
Kakadu are to the north. And the modern metropolis of Perth, an apparent oasis
on the edge of the deserts, springs to life from the almost deserted West
Coast.
When planning a trip through Australia, visitors
should not underestimate the size of the country. Distances between locations
can be great, and those who want to see and do all of this may want to consider
some internal flights. The road systems are good, but it can take time to
travel by car.
Australia is a dream land. The Land Down Under
deserves all the hype from the Aboriginal Dreamtime's sacred legends, when the
great spirits conjured up the coral reefs, rainforests, and scorched red
deserts, to armchair travelers describing Australia as their dream destination.
Australia, the world's smallest continent and largest island, is almost the
same size as the United States, but with a New York State size population and
some of the world's quirkiest wildlife.
Australia is also a land of spectacular contrasts
and beauty. You can explore vibrant multicultural cities along the coast, vast
sandy islands, ancient rainforests, and one of the most amazing natural wonders
on the planet-the Great Barrier Reef. The ultimate in adventure travel is the
rugged national parks and red-earthed deserts in the Outback. Top it off with a
laid-back feel and friendly people, and it's not surprising that Australia
scores top billing on bucket lists around the world. Make your own adventure
with our list of Australia's top attractions:
01. Sydney Opera
House
Mention "Sydney, Australia" and the Opera
House is thought by most people. This famous building on Sydney's Bennelong
Point, shaped like huge shells or billowing sails, graces the list of UNESCO
World Heritage Sites and is one of the great architectural icons in the world.
The location is beautiful. The structure is surrounded by water on three sides
and it is bordered to the south by the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Danish architect Jørn Utzon won an international
design competition but withdrew after technical and financing issues from the
project. Construction was finally finished at a cost of ten times the original
budget in 1973. Utzon had never returned to see his magnificent creation by
this time.
You can enjoy a performance here today; dine in one
of the restaurants; or take a tour of the building that includes theaters,
studios, a concert hall, exhibition rooms, and a movie theater. But from a
distance it is much more impressive. One of the best places to photograph the
Opera House is the Chair of Mrs Macquarie in the Royal Botanic Gardens, or you
can hop for another picturesque perspective on a harbor cruise or ferry.
02. Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park
Visible from the outside, the Great Barrier Reef,
listed as a World Heritage site, is one of the planet's largest living
structures. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was created in 1975 to protect
its fragile ecosystems, including over 3,000 coral reefs; 600 continental
islands, including the beautiful Whitsunday group; 300 coral cays; and inshore
mangrove islands. One of the seven natural world wonders, the park stretches
for 2,300 kilometers along Queensland State, on the east coast of Australia
(that's the distance between Mexico and Vancouver). It's spectacular to dive
and snorkel. The amazing marine life array includes soft and hard corals, over
1,600 tropical fish species, sharks, dugongs, dolphins, tortoises, rays, and
giant clams. You can see the reef from the underwater viewing stations and from
the glass bottom boats if you prefer to stay dry. The main starting points on
the mainland are Cairns, Port Douglas and Airlie Beach.
03. Uluru-Kata
Tjuta National Park
Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock), deep in the heart of
Australia's Red Centre, is one of the country's most photographed natural
wonders. The striking red monolith is the centerpiece of Uluru-Kata Tjuta
National Park, a World Heritage Area jointly managed by Australia Parks and the
traditional landowners, the people of A al-Angangu. Uluru, meaning
"shadowy place" in the local aboriginal dialect, rises from the
surrounding plain to a height of 348 meters, with most of its bulk hidden
beneath the surface of the earth. The red dome-shaped rocks called Kata Tjuta
(Olgas) are also in the park. As the sun dips in the sky, sightseers gather to
watch the colors of Uluru and Kata Tjuta transform in the shifting light. A
great way to appreciate these sacred sites is to join a tour led by Aboriginal
guides and rangers.
04. Sydney Harbour
Bridge
The Sydney Harbor Bridge is one of Australia's most
famous tourist attractions, along with the Opera House. This impressive
building feature, affectionately called "the Coathanger," is the
world's largest steel arch bridge. It was finished in 1932, 40 years before the
Opera House in Sydney. The bridge spans 500 meters, rising 134 meters above the
harbor, connecting the North Shore of Sydney to the central business district.
In addition to the pedestrian path, there are two railway lines across the
bridge as well as eight road traffic lanes, and the direction of each lane can
be switched to accommodate traffic flow.
One of Sydney's top things to do is a guided climb
to the top of the bridge where you can enjoy spectacular views of the harbor
and town. Visit the museum in the southeastern pier for an overview of the
history and construction of the bridge. Interestingly, before rocketing into
international stardom, Paul Hogan of Crocodile Dundee's fame worked as a
painter on the bridge.
05. Blue Mountains
National Park
Located 81 kilometers west of Sydney, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, beautiful Blue Mountains National Park is a popular day trip
from the city. Named for the blue haze from the many eucalyptus trees, this
stunning park protects over 664,000 acres of wilderness and includes dramatic
gorges, waterfalls, aboriginal rock paintings and 140 kilometers of hiking
trails. The park's most famous attractions are the towering rock formations of
sandstone called the Three Sisters. Other highlights include the Katoomba
Scenic Railway, the steepest in the world, which whisks passengers down the
Jamison Valley into an ancient rainforest through a cliff-side tunnel, and the
Skyway, Scenic Cableway, and Scenic Walkway, all of which offer elevated views
of the dense forest. All popular things to do in the park are hiking,
abseiling, rock climbing, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
06. Melbourne
Melbourne, the second largest city in Australia, is
a popular stop on many Australian routes, especially for culture vultures. The
main attractions of this sophisticated city on the Yarra River are galleries,
theaters, restaurants, shops and its distinctly European feeling. It is also a
green city with parks, gardens and open spaces that occupy nearly a third of
its total area. The city's highlights include the Royal Botanic Gardens;
Federation Square; Victoria's National Gallery; and Melbourne Cricket Ground,
where sports fans can watch summer cricket and winter Australian Rules soccer.
Shoppers flock to Bourke Street's elegant Royal Arcade as well as Chapel
Street; Melbourne Central Shopping Center; and Queen Victoria Market, which has
been selling fruit, vegetables, clothing and crafts for over a century. To the
east, larger Melbourne extends to the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, and to the
Mornington Peninsula in the south, where many locals flee for day trips and
seaside getaways.
07. Bondi Beach
Bronzed bodies, blond sand, backpackers and
surfing-throw everything together and you get one of the most famous beaches in
the world. Bondi Beach is home to one of the oldest surf life saving clubs in the
world, just 15 minutes by car from the city centre. It's also a great place for
a seaside stroll or picnic, and crowds of tourists and locals are gathering
here to celebrate New Year's Christmas and ring. A great way to soak up the
views of the sea is to walk along the scenic coastal walk from Bondi to Bronte,
which starts at the southern end of the beach and follows the coast for six
kilometers along sandstone cliffs. Located across the street from this famous
coastal strip are shops, cafes and restaurants. The Sunday markets, ocean pool,
and skate park are other attractions around the beach. When swimming at Bondi,
be careful. Strong rip tides often sweep unsuspecting swimmers out to sea,
especially at this kilometer-long strand's southern end, so swimmers should
stay between the flags. There's a reason why the Aussies made Bondi Rescue a
reality TV show.
08. Daintree
National Park
One of the oldest ecosystems on Earth is a Wet
Tropics World Heritage Area, Daintree National Park in Far North Queensland.
The area belongs to the Aboriginal people of Eastern Kuku Yalanji, and many of
its natural characteristics are of great spiritual importance. The park
includes two main sections: Mossman Gorge, where crystal clear waters rush
across granite rocks, and Cape Tribulation, one of Australia's most beautiful
places to visit, where rainforest meets reef along the Coral Sea's white sandy
beaches. This amazing stretch of coastline is one of the few places in the
world where two of the richest ecosystems on the planet come together. The amazing
biodiversity of the park includes over 18,000 species of plants and a vast
array of animal species including the cassowary, crocodile, giant blue Ulysses
butterfly, and the secret tree kangaroo of Bennett. Port Douglas resort town,
just south of the park, is a great base for arranging safaris in the park in
the wilderness.
09. Fraser Island
Fraser Island, listed as a World Heritage Site,
between Bundaberg and Brisbane off the east coast of Australia, is the largest
sand island in the world and one of Australia's top outdoor
adventures–especially for four-wheel drive enthusiasts. The rusted hulls of
shipwrecks, the colorful sandstone cliffs of The Cathedrals, and the bubbling
fish-filled rock pools called Champagne Pools can be seen along the windswept
Seventy Five Mile Beach.
Highlights include crystal-clear freshwater creeks
and lakes, some fed by springs, others perched in the midst of towering sand
dunes, and ancient rainforests filled with incredible plant and animal
diversity. The waters are filled with sharks, dolphins and whales, and the
fauna of the island includes wild horses, dingos, bats, sugar gliders, and more
than 300 bird species. Access from Rainbow Beach and Hervey Bay to Fraser
Island is by ferry. Four-wheel drive vehicles are vital as there are no sealed roads
on the island.
10. Kakadu National
Park
Kakadu National Park is a World Heritage Site in the
Top End or Northern Territory and one of the great wildlife areas of the
planet. Kakadu is Australia's largest national park and the second largest in
the world, covering more than 19,840 square kilometers. There are monsoon
rainforests, mangrove swamps, rivers, gorges, ancient rock paintings, wetlands,
and waterfalls within its borders, as well as an amazing wildlife diversity. In
addition to the many mammals, reptiles and fish, over 300 different bird
species make their home here, and crocodiles of freshwater and saltwater lurk
in the wetlands. You can explore the park's diverse ecosystems by car, air,
boat, or on foot via the vast network of hiking trails. Note that during the
wet season (Nov-April), many roads and attractions close due to heavy flooding.
11. Great Ocean
Road
Most of the top tourist destinations have
spectacular driving routes, and Australia's Great Ocean Road is one of its
best. Built to provide employment during the Depression, the road extends for
300 kilometers along Australia's southeast coast, from Torquay's surfing town
to Allansford, near Warrnambool, Victoria State. Port Campbell National Park is
the top attraction along the road, with the wind and wave-sculpted rock
formations known as the Twelve Apostles, the London Bridge, the Arch, and the
Loch Ard Gorge. These rock formations look like giant puzzle pieces from a
helicopter tour, lashed by the Southern Ocean's pounding surf. Other highlights
along the road include the popular resort town of Lorne and the National Park
of Otway, an area of dense eucalyptus forests, fern-filled rain forests, hiking
trails and waterfalls.
12. Broome and the
Kimberley region
Broome, once the world's pearl capital, is now a
booming tourist town in Western Australia and the gateway to the spectacular
Kimberley region. Its star tourist attraction, Cable Beach, is one of
Australia's best beaches with seemingly endless white sands and turquoise
water, and riding sunset camels is one of the most popular things to do here.
Other highlights include the Broome Historical Museum; Broome Crocodile Park;
and the Staircase to the Moon, a phenomenon between March and October under
certain conditions where the moonlight creates an optical illusion of steps
leading to the moon. From Broome, you can explore the rugged and remote
Kimberley region and its incredible natural attractions like the Horizontal
Waterfall, Cape Leveque, the Gibb River Road, Purnululu (Bungle Bungle)
National Park, and the stunning cascades of Mitchell Falls.
13. Kangaroo Island
Nature takes center stage off the Fleurieu Peninsula
in South Australia on the beautiful Kangaroo Island. Kangaroos frolic in the
crystal-clear waters along the powdery shores, sea lions and penguins, and
koalas cling to the fragrant eucalyptus trees. Diving is great, too. In the
temperate waters, you can spot sea dragons, and lots of wrecks lie offshore.
Other distinctive features of the island are the striking, wind-sculpted rock
formations, known as the Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch in Flinders Chase
National Park, and you will find lots of hiking trails along the steep cliffs
of the sea and in the pristine forests. Foodies are going to be in heaven, too.
Creamy cheeses, Ligurian honey, and fresh seafood grace the plates in local
restaurants. To get here, you can fly direct to the island from Adelaide or
catch a ferry from Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
14. Cradle
Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park
For nature lovers, Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair
National Park is a national treasure for tourism and a nirvana. The raw,
glacier-carved wilderness is characterized by sparkling lakes, serrated
dolerite peaks, alpine heathland and dense forests, and Mount Ossa is one of
the most distinctive features of the park and the highest point in Tasmania.
Hiking here is fantastic, as you might expect. Favorites include Weindorfer
Walk, a six-kilometer loop through dense forests, and Lake Dove Walk, with
amazing views of Cradle Mountain (1,545 meters). Stand at the Cradle Mountain
summit and enjoy amazing views of the central highlands. The famous
80-kilometer Overland Track, which runs south from Cradle Valley to stunning
Lake St. Clair, Australia's deepest lake, can also be tackled by experienced
hikers. Keep an eye out among the many weird and wonderful wildlife species for
Tasmanian devils, wombats, wallabies, pademelons, and platypus.
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